What Do Mouth Tumors Look Like? How Oral Cancer Screening Can Help

What Do Mouth Tumors Look Like? How Oral Cancer Screening Can Help

April 1, 2022

Cancer that develops in the mouth cavity is referred to as mouth cancer. This type of cancer causes tumors in the lips, under the tongue, gums, the inner lining of the cheeks, and the top side of the mouth. It is important to know what these tumors look like so that you can go for oral cancer screening in Sanborn. Early oral cancer screening is critical because it can help detect cancer before it has spread throughout the mouth, making treatment easier. This article will look at what causes mouth tumors and how oral cancer is performed to detect mouth tumors.

What Causes Mouth Tumors?

The flat, thin cells (squamous cells) that border your lips and the inside of your mouth are where most mouth cancers start. Squamous cell carcinomas account for most mouth tumors.

It’s unclear what causes squamous cell mutations that lead to mouth cancer. However, physicians have discovered several variables that may raise the risk of oral cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, males are twice as likely as women to acquire oral cancer. Men over the age of 50 are in the greatest danger. Some risks expose you to developing oral cancer.

First, smoking cigarettes and cigars exposes you to the risk of developing mouth cancer. Smoking increases the risk of oral tumors by six times compared of non-smokers. People who use dip, chew tobacco, or snuff are fifty times more likely to develop mouth tumors; if you smoke and drink alcohol, your chances of getting oral cavity cancer increase.

Human Papillomavirus also causes oral cancer. This sexually transmitted virus causes changes in the throat cells, making them cancerous. This change in cells takes many years; therefore, you can have cancerous cells in your body without your knowledge. The dentist in 51248 recommends oral screening to detect oral cancer at its early stages.

Age is another factor that exposes you to developing oral cancer. This is because the cancerous cells take time to develop, and before you experience the mouth tumor symptoms, you are of age. Most people start to experience oral cancer symptoms after fifty-five years.

If your occupation or location means that you stay for long hours in the sun, the ultraviolet rays can cause lip cancer.

It is imperative to know mouth tumor symptoms to go for screening and treatment as early as possible. First, you can experience lots of pain and unexplained bleeding in the mouth.

You can encounter difficulty when chewing or moving your tongue. This can cause lots of discomfort when swallowing or chewing.

Another symptom of oral cancer is white and red spots or patches on the tongue or mouth. In addition, there can be lumps or a mass of tissue in your gums.

If these symptoms alleviate, it is recommended to see your dentist in 51248, who can perform oral screening and determine whether or not you have tumors in your mouth.

How Is Oral Cancer Screening Done To Detect Mouth Tumor?

When you visit your dentist for oral screening, there are no preparations that you are expected to make as this is a routine procedure. Instead, the dentist will inquire about the symptoms you have experienced, your medical history, and your lifestyle.

Your dentist will examine the inside of your mouth for red or white patches and sores during an oral cancer screening exam. Your dentist will also feel the tissues in your mouth with gloved hands to look for lumps or other abnormalities. The dentist may also look for lumps in your throat and neck. The dentist will then examine your cheeks, eyes, and ears.

There are additional tests that the dentist can perform to determine where the tumors have developed. For example, an endoscope can check for tumors in the throat, nose, sinuses, and voice box.

The dentist can also perform a biopsy, where some tissue is removed and sent to the laboratory, where the pathologist can determine if there are cancerous cells in your mouth.

Suppose you experience the symptoms of mouth tumor development. In that case, you should visit Sanborn Dental Associates, and we will perform an oral cancer screening, determine whether or not you have oral cavity cancer, and create a treatment plan just for you.

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